Ann Rehabil Med.  2012 Oct;36(5):665-674.

The Effect of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy on Myofascial Pain Syndrome

• Jeon JH
• Jung YJ
• Lee JY
• Choi JS
• Mun JH
• Park WY
• Seo CH
• Jang KU

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). METHOD: Thirty patients with MPS in trapezius muscle were randomly divided into two groups, ESWT group (n=15), and trigger point injections (TPI)+transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) group (n=15). For a total of 3 weeks, ESWT was undertaken with 1,500 pulse each time at one week interval totaling 4,500 pulse, TPI for once a week totaling three times and TENS for five times a week totaling three weeks.
RESULTS
The changes in pain threshold (lb/cm2) showed the values of 6.86+/-1.35 before first therapy, 11.43+/-0.27 after first therapy, and 12.57+/-0.72 after third therapy, while TPI+TENS group showed the values of 6.20+/-1.92 before first therapy, 8.80+/-0.48 after first therapy, and 9.60+/-2.19 after third therapy, and the changes between the groups were significantly different (p=0.045). The changes in visual analog scale were estimated to be 6.86+/-0.90 before first therapy, 2.86+/-0.90 after first therapy, and 1.86+/-0.69 after third therapy in case of ESWT group, whereas the figures were estimated to be 7.20+/-1.30 before first therapy, 4.60+/-0.55 after first therapy, and 2.80+/-0.84 after third therapy in case of TPI+TENS group, and the changes between the groups were significantly different (p=0.010). The changes in McGill pain questionnaire (p=0.816) and pain rating scale (p=0.644) between the groups were not significantly different. The changes in neck ROM were also not significantly different between the groups (p>0.05).
CONCLUSION
The ESWT in patients with MPS in trapezius muscle are as effective as TPI and TENS for the purpose of pain relief and improving cervical range of motion.

Keyword

Myofascial pain syndromes; High-energy shock waves; Trigger points; Pain threshold

MeSH Terms

High-Energy Shock Waves
Humans
Myofascial Pain Syndromes
Neck
Pain Measurement
Pain Threshold
Range of Motion, Articular
Shock
Superficial Back Muscles
Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation
Trigger Points

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